steering rack

[mhoffman]

Ok, I am about ready to suck-start a gun.

I have been under a 79 SC for two days trying to drop the steering rack for a clean and inspect as I do an install for torbo tie rods. I have the rods off, not the inboard eyebolts though. I have disconnected and loosened the clamp in the smuggler's box and any other bolt or fastener that looked remotely connected with the removal. I did everything (and then some) that Bentley's specifies. No joy. I cannot drop the steering rack- I got one side down over the bolt hole on the cross member, but no culmination. I tried to give up on the rack and just do the tie rods, but I can't get them off either. I have to be missing soemthing obvious- any ideas?

thanks for any help...

Matt

[1974carrera]

Did you remove the u-joint clamping bolt completely? If you don't, the splined steering shaft can't be withdrawn from the u-joint.
Hope this helps,

[burgermeister]

I assume you removed the sway bar brackets (flat bar stock that runs underneath rack in f/a direction)? Then there is some alarm horn type thing bolted to the crossmember. Fuel lines ought to be above the rack, so they should not interfere. Up top, there is the steering column U-joint (mine was quite stuck and it was a bear to remove from the steering shaft - gotta remove it before the rack will budge) and another clamp around the plastic splash shield (there is a bearing inside the rubber donut that it clamps). Of course the 2 vertical mounting bolts. That's about it for fasteners.

It helps if you loosen the 2 vertical (19mm socket I think) crossmember attaching bolts (they also clamp the rear A-arm bushing). You might want to unload the front torsion bars before you do that though - just clean and mark the adjustment bolt (11mm socket?) and count revolutions (or threads) so you can get them to back to the same place. If you can drop the crossmember 1/2" or so, it makes fiddling the rack in and out a whole lot easier.

Putting turbo tie rods & boots on was a PITA with the rack on the workbench - I wouldn't want to do it with the rack in the car...

Good luck!

[mhoffman]

The u-joint clamp bolt is out completely. I had not loosened any of the cross-member mounting fittings (where the A-arm attaches). I am re-engaging this morning. Wish me luck...

thanks for the input!

[mhoffman]

and Burgermeister- the plastic splash guard has a clamp on it? I think you are talking about the pinioon end of the steering shaft enters the steering rack? If there is a clamp on it, it is not at the lower end of the guard, but at the top end (can't see up there to assess).

All of the other fasteners you previously mentioned are off (plus a couple of extras...) and I am re-engaging the enemy with loosening the cross-member A-arm mounts and torsion bar fittings- did not want to go that far with alignment and loading issues....

Best-

[imcarthur]

Take it all off. I needed it all out of my way. Sways. A-arms. Torsion bars & hdwe. Crossmember. Just so I could get the old rods off.

A link to help:

Steering Rack "Rebuild" Procedure

My battle:

TTR Install

Good luck.

Ian

[burgermeister]

Originally Posted by mhoffman

and Burgermeister- the plastic splash guard has a clamp on it? I think you are talking about the pinioon end of the steering shaft enters the steering rack? If there is a clamp on it, it is not at the lower end of the guard, but at the top end (can't see up there to assess).

Yeah, it's at the top, inside the smugglers box. Just below where the U-joint attaches - 2 allen bolts, one of which (the bottom one) is a bear to get to. You only need to take the top one out & loosen the bottom one, and the clamp can be rotated out of the way. Sounds like you got it already. Sorry about any confusion. There is no other clamp for the splash guard.

Even removing the control arm completely will not mess up your alignment much (if at all) - the adjustments are all at the strut attachment, and the crossmember is registered to the car very accurately, so it will bolt up in exactly the same place every time.